A high definition television (HDTV) comprises an audio/video decoder that decodes an incoming digital bitstream from a cable box, set top box, etc. for subsequent playback on display monitor and/or speaker. The incoming digital bitstream comprises audio and video information. A finite amount of time is required for the decoder to decode the audio/video bit stream. In some applications, a user turns the volume down on the HDTV so that the video is seen but the audio is not heard by the HDTV's speakers. Rather than using the audio speakers built into the HDTV, the user instead may prefer to have the audio provided by speakers coupled to, for example, the cable box or a stereo coupled to the cable box. In this latter configuration, the audio being heard from the speakers coupled to the cable box is not subject to the same time lag that results from the HDTV decoding the digital bit stream containing the video information. As a result, the video being played on the HDTV may lag behind the audio and thus be out of synchronization with respect to the audio.